Whether you've had to slam the brakes after someone pulled out suddenly in front of you or nearly had a fender bender caused by someone texting behind the wheel, it can seem like a miracle that some people ever passed a driving test.

And there might be more less-than-perfect drivers in Croydon than elsewhere, judging by the small number of people who manage to pass their test here on the first try.

Were you lucky enough to be able to rip up the L plates after your first test? (Image: Kevin Shaw)

But Croydon's a big place and what's true for Purley is not the same in Thornton Heath.

So where are the bad drivers in the borough and the surrounding areas coming from?

Figures from the DVLA mean we can now confirm how many drivers were banned in each area during the first half of 2018.

The biggest offenders

Throughout Croydon and the surrounding postcode areas, a total of 526 people were banned from driving for various offences during the first six months of last year.

That averages out to more than 87 people disqualified per month or almost three a day.

However, what areas are the worst and best when it comes to driving on the wrong side of the law?

Unsurprisingly the CR0 postcode area, which encompasses most of Croydon town centre, as well as New Addington, had the highest number of offences, at 176, given its dense population and the amount of traffic that flows through it.

More people unfortunately means more terrible drivers (Image: Paul Martyniuk)

However another area with a shockingly high number of offences was the CR4 Mitcham postcode, which saw 83 drivers banned in the six-month period, an average of around 13 per month.

This could also be explained by a high population, since the latest census figures indicate more than 63,000 people live in the area.

However, the two areas with the third and fourth highest number of disqualified drivers have no such excuse.